The New York Philharmonic Concerts in the Parks, Presented by Didi and Oscar Schafer, have become an iconic New York summer experience since they began in 1965, transforming parks throughout the city into a patchwork of picnickers and providing music lovers with an opportunity to hear the best classical music under the stars.

This year’s series caps off the season-spanning celebration of the Orchestra’s 175 years of serving New York City by concluding The New World Initiative, the citywide project that explores Dvo?ák’s New World Symphony and its theme of home through performances and community outreach. Each of the concerts includes this masterpiece, which the Philharmonic premiered, and you can sing or play along with the Orchestra in the “Goin’ Home” theme from the Largo, conducted by Music Director Alan Gilbert!

There will be fireworks by Bay Fireworks following the performances in the Bronx, Manhattan, Queens, and Brooklyn.

Celebrate Pride with NYC Parks and New York City Mayor's Office of Media and Entertainment!

In this 2014 comedy, Shirin (Desiree Akhavan) is struggling to become an ideal Persian daughter, politically correct bisexual and hip young Brooklynite but fails miserably in her attempt at all identities. Akhavan not only stars in this award-winning film, but she also wrote and directed it.

Know Before You Go:
You should come before 8:30 p.m. to get your spot for the movie. Please bring your own picnic blanket or chair. Food is OK, but no alcohol or smoking is permitted.

Two unlikely companions, the straight-laced Martin and the bombastic Grandgil, must smuggle four suitcases filled with contraband pork across Nazi-occupied Paris. While Martin tries to make it through efficiently, Grandgil seems to create, and then surmount, obstacles for the fun of it.

Films in French with English subtitles
Music by WNYU Radio DJ prior to the screening!

Join NYC Parks and the New York City Mayor's Office of Media and Entertainment for a free film!

A Chinese widower travels to America to visit his estranged daughter. This film is Not Rated.

This event is presented in partnership with the Museum of Chinese in America (MOCA).

About MOCA
The Museum of Chinese in America (MOCA) is a non-profit institution that preserves, presents and explores the diverse history, heritage and culture of people of Chinese descent in the United States through innovative exhibitions, educational initiatives, and public programs. Visit mocanyc.org to find out more and check out their calendar of upcoming events!

Know Before You Go
You should arrive by 8:00 p.m. to get your spot. Feel free to bring a blanket to sit on; there will be a limited supply of chairs available. Bottled water is OK, but no glass. Reservations are not taken; space is available on a first-come, first-served basis. All are welcome!

Photo District News and United Photo Industries' THE FENCE returns to Brooklyn Bridge Park for the sixth straight year. THE FENCE is a large-scale traveling photography exhibition reaching over 4 million visitors annually through open-air exhibitions in seven cities across the United States. Since its inception, THE FENCE has consistenty attracted exceptional work by talented photographers from around the world, providing them with a truly public platform and unexpected career opportunities. This year's installation will explore the themes of Home, Streets, People, Creatures, Nature, Play, and Food. Find THE FENCE at Empire Fulton Ferry and along the Greenway.

Tour the High Line with horticulturist and resident wildlife expert, Maryanne Stubbs. This tour will focus on how pollinators, migratory birds, and other wildlife use the habitat and forage provided by the High Line's gardens.

For a breath of fresh air, take your workouts outdoors. Parks are becoming a logical alternative environment for those who want to add variety to their work outs, or who just don't like the gym. And, it's an affordable way to increase physical activity opportunities, because there's nothing special to build.

Come to Fort Tryon Park and try something new. Join us on Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday mornings for one hour of walking, stretching, and strengthening exercises.

All of our fitness programs are free, led by trained professionals, and suitable for all levels. Wear comfortable clothing and bring water.

Exercising with a view, in natural sunlight, with green scenery all around bestow health benefits that can’t be found indoors. Scientific studies have shown that the pleasure of being outdoors gives your brain, psyche, and immune system an extra boost.

Please note: Fitness programs are canceled if the weather is lower than 20 degrees and when there are icy conditions. Please check back for rain and weather/air advisory cancels.

Open Run is a community-based, volunteer-led running initiative bringing free weekly runs and walks to local neighborhood parks, across all five boroughs of NYC. All runs are directed by volunteers and are free to all participants. The finish line is open until the last person is done. The courses vary based on the park, but the courses are between 2.5 and 3 miles long.

Participants are encouraged to arrive 15 minutes before the start of the run and to leave their valuables at home – bag check is not provided. No need to do anything before the run, just show up. Open to all ages, experience levels, walkers, strollers, dogs: All are welcome!

This program is in coordination with NYC Parks' Community Parks Initiative.

Open Run is a community-based, volunteer-led running initiative bringing free weekly runs and walks to local neighborhood parks, across all five boroughs of NYC. All runs are directed by volunteers and are free to all participants. The finish line is open until the last person is done. The courses vary based on the park, but the courses are between 2.5 and three miles long.

Participants are encouraged to arrive 15 minutes before the start of the run and to leave their valuables at home—bag check is not provided. No need to do anything before the run, just show up. Open to all ages, experience levels, walkers, strollers, dogs: All are welcome!

Open Run is a community-based, volunteer-led running initiative bringing free weekly runs and walks to local neighborhood parks, across all five boroughs of NYC. All runs are directed by volunteers and are free to all participants. The finish line is open until the last person is done. The courses vary based on the park, but the courses are between 2.5 and 3 miles long.

Participants are encouraged to arrive 15 minutes before the start of the run and to leave their valuables at home – bag check is not provided. No need to do anything before the run, just show up. Open to all ages, experience levels, walkers, strollers, dogs: All are welcome!

This program is in coordination with NYC Parks' Community Parks Initiative.

Open Run is a community-based, volunteer-led running initiative bringing free weekly runs and walks to local neighborhood parks, across all five boroughs of NYC. All runs are directed by volunteers and are free to all participants. The finish line is open until the last person is done. The courses vary based on the park, but the courses are between 2.5 and 3 miles long.

Participants are encouraged to arrive 15 minutes before the start of the run and to leave their valuables at home – bag check is not provided. No need to do anything before the run, just show up. Open to all ages, experience levels, walkers, strollers, dogs: All are welcome!

Unlike most other sports, rowing can be learned at any age and fitness level! Taking an introductory class with Row New York is a great way to get fit, have fun, and enjoy the beauty of the river against the backdrop of the city. It’s a truly unique experience! Learn to Row classes take place in the spring, summer, and fall at the Peter Jay Sharp Boathouse on the Harlem River in Northern Manhattan.

Learn-to-Row 1: Intensive Learn-to-Row session, $130. All classes take place on Saturdays from 9:00am-1:00pm.
One-day program.

— One day program
— Learn basics of sweep rowing.
— Develop working knowledge of the sport including vocabulary and equipment.
— Learn proper rowing technique on land and on the water.
— Advance to water on a stable rowing barge to develop on-water technique.

This session prepares participants for our Level 2 course, in which advanced rowing skills are acquired on the water. Questions about Learn-to-Row? Visit Row New York's Q&A page.

Donna Miskend is an exhibition curator, is an illustrator, designer and writer. She frequently designs for the August Strindberg Repertory Theatre, and exhibits her artwork throughout the U.S.

Michael Patrick Hearn has remained one of the most respected contemporary writers about children’s literature since the publication of The Annotated Wizard of Oz right after college. His many other books include The Annotated Christmas Carol, The Annotated Huckleberry Finn, The Victorian Fairy Tale Book; Myth, Magic and Mystery; and Tommy Ungerer Chronicler of the Absurd. He has created numerous exhibitions including the Tomi Ungerer show at The Eric Carle Museum. He has lectured all over the United States and Europe. He is often interviewed by the media and including byBBC4 and TCM. His latest book is The Annotated Edgar Allan Poe, available soon.

James Armstrong has had his plays performed by such theaters as The Attic Ensemble (The Four Doctors Huxley), the Abingdon Theatre Company (Foggy Bottom), Playwrights Forum (The Metric System), Sundog Theatre (Meucci's Message), and Detroit Rep (Capital). He has also adapted for the stage several 19th-century works, including A Christmas Carol, Alice in Wonderland, and Moby-Dick. He is a member of the Dramatists Guild of America and you can keep up with him at www.armstrongplays.com.

Dave Kopka engages in books, story boarding, comics, and pre-production work, but is fascinated with exploring a wide spectrum of illustration and being a creative force in visual narrative. Site and contact: davekopka.com, illustration@davekopka.com

Nancy Doniger has created many illustrations for the New York Times and appear in print and on the web for publishers and companies worldwide. Her most recent book is Lemonade: and Other Poems Squeezed from a Single Word, written by Bob Raczka for Roaring Brook Press. Site and contact: www.nancydoniger.com

Carol (Klio) Burrell is a comics illustrator and native New Yorker. Site and contact: http://spqrblues.com/IV/

Charlie Vázquez, is director of the Bronx Writers Center and author, whose work includes San Juan Noir, an anthology by Akashic Books.

Join us for an exhibit at Conference House Park, Lucy Wilner: Us and Them, Birds at the Intersection of Natural and Man-made Worlds, on display through July 23.

Wilner’s paintings explore the realms of imagination evoked by today’s new ecological and trans-species consciousness. Far from naturalistic, they present symbolic relationships, especially those between human beings, our histories, tools, and environments, and the natural world.

Using plaster of Paris, create an exact replica of your hand and the hand of one of your family members—maybe Dad’s! Then, build onto your plaster hands with metallic and natural materials like leaves, sticks and stems.

This It's My Park season, volunteer with Good.Clean.Fun. to clean up the world one piece of trash at a time, and do so while staying active at Raymond Bush Playground. Good for your body and your good for your home! We look forward to cleaning up the park with you!

The Crotona/Belmont neighborhood, home to the La Familia Verde Coalition, a network of five community gardens—including The Garden of Youth and Garden of Happiness which operates a Tuesday farmer’s market—is home to a very diverse group of farmers and entrepreneurs.

Join us as we visit Garden of Happiness, one of the oldest community gardens in the Bronx (founded in 1988) for a tour of their longstanding casita, greenhouse, and chicken coop. Next, we’ll have lunch in the newly renovated Garden of Youth, a garden dedicated to providing agricultural learning opportunities for our children and youth. Finally, we’ll visit Mapes Avenue Community Garden for a gardening activity.

In partnership with Bronx Green-Up of The New York Botanical Garden, The Bronx Tourism Council, Montefiore, GreenThumb/NYC Parks, La Familia Verde, and Mary Mitchell Family and Youth Center.

Tour Guide: Aleyna Rodriguez, Bronx Gardener and Organizer.

The tour leaves promptly at 10:30 a.m., and returns at 2:30 p.m.

Registration
The tour includes a delicious, healthy lunch catered by Bronx-based B.Blossom. Tickets are $15 by cash or check made payable to La Familia Verde. To reserve your space, fill out the form at tinyurl.com/BXfood-farmtours2017 or call (718) 817-8026. Credit card payment accepted at ilovethebronx.com.

Cultivate an intimate understanding of the interconnections between soil, plants, and human health by working directly with the land. We’ll be getting our hands and knees dirty with tasks that include soil care, weeding, planting, bed preparation, and composting,

Volunteer this It's My Park season with the Friends of Conference House Park to show some tender loving care to our beloved park. Volunteers will help with gardening preparation and beach cleanup to get the park ready for the spring/summer weather and upcoming events. We look forward to cleaning up the park with you!

Learn to Ride—Kids is a free group class for children who are ready to ditch their training wheels and ride a two-wheeler for the first time. With our safe, easy, effective method and experienced instructors, kids will learn how to balance, pedal, start, stop, and steer a bicycle. Most students get the hang of it in one session, but even if they don’t, parents will leave equipped with an easy, low-stress technique that will have their kids riding independently in no time.

Come out and join the Mommies of Rockaway Parks United to beautify Beach 17th Street Playground with new plantings. This project is funded by the NYC Council's Parks Equity Initiative, sponsored by Council Member Donovan Richards. (Meet at Beach 9th Street entrance)

This citywide public art project places 50 pianos across the five boroughs. All pianists are invited to visit during our hours of operation to tickle the ivories on a beautiful outdoor piano. For more information on this project, or locations of other Pop-Up Pianos, please visit Sing for Hope's website.

The Green Team provides essential horticultural care to Brooklyn Bridge Park, including planting, mulching, and removing invasive plants. The Green Team is a wonderful opportunity to learn about gardening, enjoying nature, and making the park look its best.

All volunteers must fill out a waiver onsite and submit it before any activity begins. Volunteers 18 years old or younger should submit their waiver signed by a parent or guardian; volunteers 16 years old or younger must be accompanied by a parent or guardian. No experience necessary.

Myrtle Village Green Community Garden, in partnership with Bed-Stuy Restoration Corporation, is leading a family-friendly bike tour of some of our favorite community gardens in Bed-Stuy. The ride begins at 11:00 from our garden on Myrtle Avenue between Franklin Avenue and Kent Avenue. Free Citi bikes will be available for anyone who would like one. Please arrive at least 15 minutes early if you would like to take a free Citi bike for the ride.

Enjoy free yoga in Fort Greene Park in collaboration with the public artwork Circadia by Blythe Cain, which opens June 20. Bring a yoga mat, water, and sunscreen, and wear comfortable clothes. All levels are welcome!

This weekly class will take place on Saturdays at 11:00 a.m. from June 3 to October 14 (except July 1 and September 2).

Meet at the flag pole between the monument and Visitor's Center. This yoga class will take place on the lawn in front of the Ft. Greene Park Visitor Center. Circadia is an interactive luminescent sculpture and seating system made from concrete and glow sand, which acts as a guide to the park entrance. Resembling a historic building foundation, Circadia also mimics the park's rolling hills and the natural rhythms found in nature.

This exhibition and event are made possible by the Art in the Parks: UNIQLO Park Expressions Grant, which supports the creation of artworks by New York City-based emerging artists at 10 parks that are highly visible, but underserved by cultural programming. The UNIQLO grant program will transform these locations into engaging art destinations with a series of rotating exhibitions and community events through 2019.

Learn to Ride—Adults is a free class for adults and mature teens who are ready to ride. Doesn’t matter if you’re 18 or 80, we’ll get you rolling in no time. With our safe, easy, effective method, Learn to Ride students learn how to balance, pedal, start, stop, and steer a bike, as well as adjust a helmet for proper fit. Most people learn to ride in one session, but even if they don’t, they’ll leave equipped with an easy, low-stress way to teach themselves—or, they can join us for another free class!

Learn to Ride—Adults is a free class for adults and mature teens who are ready to ride. Doesn’t matter if you’re 18 or 80, we’ll get you rolling in no time. With our safe, easy, effective method, Learn to Ride students learn how to balance, pedal, start, stop, and steer a bike, as well as adjust a helmet for proper fit. Most people learn to ride in one session, but even if they don’t, they’ll leave equipped with an easy, low-stress way to teach themselves—or, they can join us for another free class!

Learn to Ride—Kids is a free group class for children who are ready to ditch their training wheels and ride a two-wheeler for the first time. With our safe, easy, effective method and experienced instructors, kids will learn how to balance, pedal, start, stop, and steer a bicycle. Most students get the hang of it in one session, but even if they don’t, parents will leave equipped with an easy, low-stress technique that will have their kids riding independently in no time.

Join us for a staff-led tour through three gardens in one! From a magnificent wrought-iron gate made in 1894 to a sculptural tribute to The Secret Garden, Central Park Conservancy staff take you on a guided stroll amid thousands of trees, shrubs, bulbs, perennials, and annuals that bloom throughout the year. Learn about Conservatory Garden's history, design, and botanical specimens, from the professionals who care for it. This tour is bound to give visitors a new appreciation for this special space in Central Park

Cinderella Samba is a contemporary twist on the classic “Cinderella” fairy tale. The CityParks PuppetMobile production sets the timeless tale in the lush landscape of Brazil, where, thanks to the help of her fairy godmother, Cinderella attends Rio de Janeiro’s biggest Carnival gala and dances the samba with Prince Paulo himself. After Cinderella is forced to flee the gala just before midnight, the prince sets out to find the mystery woman who stole his heart, in hopes of marrying her.

The lively production features an original commissioned musical soundtrack that brings samba center-stage; handcrafted Carnival festival floats on parade; and one-of-a-kind marionettes donning their most vibrant Carnival costumes, created by the expert puppeteers from the Swedish Cottage Marionette Theater in Central Park.

Performances of Cinderella Samba will take place at 11am and 1pm at 46th Street between 30th Road & 31st Avenue outside the Playground.

Join Seth Wollney, leader of the Staten Island Dragonfly Atlas, to learn about the ecology and identification of High Rock’s unique dragonflies! The wetlands in this park host several species of specialist dragonflies, such as painted and great blue skimmers and banded pennants! Be prepared for some uphill hiking and some time in the sun.

Each summer on Saturday morning for the past 60 years, New Yorkers of all ages have listened to Andersen tales and other stories, folktales, and fairytales from around the world told by a group of brilliant storytellers at the Hans Christian Andersen Statue in Central Park. This landmark New York event continues this summer, with storytelling happening every Saturday from June through September.

Jeannine Laverty will share the Irish story "Hairy Rouchy" and Carol Birch will share the original story "More than a Cup of Kindness".

Storytelling is held rain or shine. The stories are appropriate for children six years old and up. Parents or guardians are asked to sit with their children.

This free program is funded by the Hans Christian Andersen Story Telling Center, Inc.

On Saturday, June 17, join NYC Parks in Central Park to celebrate the great outdoors and enjoy a day of adventure—for free! Activities will include:

Rock Climbing

Zip Lining

Mountain Biking

Surfing Virtual Reality Experience

EuroBungee

Yoga

Obstacle Races

Free Bike Valet Parking

Outdoor Survival Training

Please note: Activity lines are subject to close early, so come early!

Rain or shine!

Certain activities will require a waiver, which will be provided at the event for participants to sign. Participants under the age of 18 must have a legal guardian present to sign the waiver.

Save Time In Line
Before you head to Adventures NYC, sign our waiver for participants in advance, and bring it with you along with a Photo ID! We’ll verify it on site. Kids must have a parent or guardian present at the event. Download the Adventures NYC Participant Waiver.

Accessibility
For accessibility information, please contact Chris Noel by email at christopher.noel@parks.nyc.gov or by phone at (718) 760-6831 by June 15.

Interested in Volunteering at Adventures NYC?
We are currently looking for enthusiastic people to help us make Adventures NYC a memorable event for everyone! If you are interested in joining our volunteer team, please register here. You must be 18 years of age or older to become an Adventures NYC volunteer.

In this one-hour tour, you will get a crash course on how the garden produces nutrient-rich compost from food scraps and horticultural waste. We will introduce the fundamentals of ecological farming as you visit the farm. This tour is recommended for first-time visitors to Queens Botanical Garden Farm & Compost.

Join Central Park Conservancy guides for an introduction to some of the southern park highlights, including Grand Army Plaza, the pond, Gapstow Bridge, Wollman Rink, Chess & Checkers House, and the Dairy.

The tour route involves moderate inclines and some stairs. The tour starts inside the park at 61st Street and Fifth Avenue. For weather cancellation, ticket and other policies, please review Central Park's Conservancy's policies carefully. Groups of seven or more must schedule a custom tour three weeks in advance at tours@centralparknyc.org.

What's in the Park's water? Join Prospect Park Alliance to learn about water chemistry and identify the creatures that live in and around the Park’s waterways. Pop-up Audubon II is best for children 8 and over. Events include:

Discovery Pack, 11 am–4 pm: Prospect Park Alliance invites you to get inspired by nature with our new Discovery Packs, a ready-to-go kits filled with nature activities for families.

Shoreline Water Walk, noon–1 pm: Join Alliance naturalists for a guided nature walk and explore the plants and wildlife that make the lakeshore so special.

Junior Naturalists, 1–2 pm: Discover the creatures that live in Prospect Park’s waterbodies and the chemistry that helps them grow in this citizen science program.

Nature’s Helpers, 2–3 pm: Learn how to keep Prospect Park healthy by cleaning up the lakeshore, spreading mulch or removing invasive species. This program leaves promptly at 2 pm.

Family Bird Watching, 3–4 pm:After learning how to use binoculars, join Alliance naturalists to identify some of the 250 species of birds that call Prospect Park home.

While our public tours on Fridays and Saturdays are normally geared for an adult audience, we’ve planned engaging, kid-friendly tours, hands-on activities, scavenger hunts, and more on select Saturdays. If the weather’s nice, bring a picnic and enjoy our grounds before or after your visit to the house.

If you plan to visit with children under 10, we recommend visiting before 2 p.m. to take advantage of specially planned activities for younger children.

The Village Community Boathouse is offering free public rowing on Prospect Park Lake this summer.

Rowing is a beautifully simple, healthy, and empowering sport, and the ample waters of the lake are an ideal place to pursue its pleasures.

Community rowing is free and open to all; no experience or reservations necessary. Sessions run from noon until 4:00 p.m. on Saturdays from June 10 to August 26. Boats are launched from the ramp on Well House Drive in the southwest corner of the lake. The temporary boathouse–two shipping containers–is located just across from the ramp.

Who Can Participate
Community rowing is open to all, although some physical dexterity is required to get in and out of the boats. The focus of the program is recreation in a safe and respectful environment. Each participant must sign a waiver; kids and teens younger than 18 must be escorted by a parent. Life jackets are provided—and must be worn!

What You'll Row
We use a diverse fleet of traditional wooden rowing boats, built by volunteers and similar in shape and appearance to those used in the early days of park rowing.

How the Villiage Community Boathouse is Funded
We are a nonprofit organization entirely run by volunteers. While no commitment is required from those who row with us, our facilities, boats and equipment require regular upkeep and repair. The park is surrounded by a large and diverse population that needs more access to on-water recreation.Your donations make our program possible. If you're looking to volunteer, please email volunteers@vcb.nyc.

Contact
For more information about the Village Community Boathouse and its programs, please email info@vcb.nyc. Please check the Village Community Boathouse's social media feeds on Facebook and Twitter for possible last minute changes due to weather or other circumstances.

In this workshop series for 4 Saturdays in June, you will learn the foundations of what makes up a graphic novel or comic. Participating artists should already have fleshed out characters and environments along with an understanding of perspective. We will cover composition, image and text relationships as well as lighting. Please bring a sketchbook and ruler. All other supplies will be provided. No experience necessary.

Maurice Buckley is an Illustrator, sculptor, storyteller and educator. He received his Bachelor of Fine Arts at Alfred University in 2013. Since then he's been teaching art all around New York City, through organizations such as The Art Student's League of New York, and Doing art together. In addition to teaching he works from home as a comic book artist. He currently resides in Brooklyn New York and is working on launching a comic book company with his colleagues and mentors.

Space is limited, so please RSVP to reserve your spot to letitia.guillory@parks.nyc.gov

The Bronx Writers Center presents this exciting new gathering of crime and noir writers to the fantastic Poe Park Visitor Center adjacent to the Poe Cottage, where the American master wrote the classic short story “The Cask of Amontillado”. This casual writers meeting will meet every third Saturday of each month to participate in writing prompts, readings and critiques of these eternal, ever reinventing genres of fiction. Free. Hosted by Bronx Writers Center Director Charlie Vázquez who’ll have a story published in the upcoming San Juan Noir, by Akashic Books.

The Queens Historical Society is excited to collaborate with Socrates Sculpture Park this June. Please join us at the Socrates Sculpture Park for their Saturday Sculpture event where we will be presenting our Road to Freedom: Paper Quilting workshop.

This art-based workshop focuses on the Underground Railroad, including secret messages that were encoded through patchwork quilts to help guide slaves to freedom. Students will create paper quilts using authentic symbols and messages.

Join NYC Parks & Council Member Peter Koo for an afternoon inflatables, popcorn, cotton candy, ices, prizes, and more! The afternoon will include multicultural performances, featuring The New School for Jazz, Taikoza, and local community acts.

Did you know? While dredging the bottom of Baisley Pond in the late 1800s, city workers unearthed the remains of an American Mastodon. Today a sculpture of a mastodon in Sutphin Playground commemorates this discovery.

Join NYC Parks and Council District 28 for an afternoon of games, inflatables, a photo booth, face painting, popcorn, cotton candy, and more!

Come get ready for summer. School is out and now is the time to learn how to keep the entire family healthy and happy during the summer. Sign up for the reading program at the public library. Learn how to cook healthy food. Sign the kids up for Parks' free Summer Sports Experience program, where kids can play sports all day throughout the summer for free! Take a Yoga, Spinning, or Boxing Bootcamp class. There are activities for all ages, so bring the whole family!

Learn to Ride—Adults is a free class for adults and mature teens who are ready to ride. Doesn’t matter if you’re 18 or 80, we’ll get you rolling in no time. With our safe, easy, effective method, Learn to Ride students learn how to balance, pedal, start, stop, and steer a bike, as well as adjust a helmet for proper fit. Most people learn to ride in one session, but even if they don’t, they’ll leave equipped with an easy, low-stress way to teach themselves—or, they can join us for another free class!

Please join the Friends of Amersfort Park for "Art Around the Park". Come and join us for an afternoon of artistic expression. Activities include drawing, painting, and open art exhibit from last year's event. All materials provided.

A completely original creation of Coney Island USA, the Mermaid Parade is the nation's largest art parade and one of New York City's greatest summer events. It features participants dressed in sea-themed costumes, as well as antique cars, and music along the route, as the parade heads to Coney Island Boardwalk.

The parade starts at West 21st Street and Surf Avenue and ends at the Steeplechase Pier at Coney Island Boardwalk.

Cinderella Samba is a contemporary twist on the classic “Cinderella” fairy tale. The CityParks PuppetMobile production sets the timeless tale in the lush landscape of Brazil, where, thanks to the help of her fairy godmother, Cinderella attends Rio de Janeiro’s biggest Carnival gala and dances the samba with Prince Paulo himself. After Cinderella is forced to flee the gala just before midnight, the prince sets out to find the mystery woman who stole his heart, in hopes of marrying her.

The lively production features an original commissioned musical soundtrack that brings samba center-stage; handcrafted Carnival festival floats on parade; and one-of-a-kind marionettes donning their most vibrant Carnival costumes, created by the expert puppeteers from the Swedish Cottage Marionette Theater in Central Park.

Performances of Cinderella Samba will take place at 11am and 1pm at 46th Street between 30th Road & 31st Avenue outside the Playground.

The Bowne House Museum, one of New York's oldest buildings, welcomes visitors to an open dialogue about our city's changing landscape with local historians and urban archaeologists. New exhibits from The Bowne House will illustrate and highlight these changes.

Use our locally-produced compost to create native wildflower seed balls. Take home your seed ball to introduce native wildflowers to your neighborhood! Queens Botanical Garden Farm & Compost staff will be on site to discuss the importance of native species and the role of compost in encouraging healthy plant growth.

Come view original artwork celebrating nature and the natural environment of Staten Island. Flora/Fauna/Feathers of Richmond County is sponsored by Protectors of Pine Oak Woods, Staten Island’s land conservation organization.

Through Community Rowing, you'll explore the Bronx River aboard student-built wooden row boats and learn about local waterways. The free program takes place every Saturday from Memorial Day to Labor Day.

For three of those days, community members can also try their hand at sailing.

Free Sailing

The City’s only sailing program aims to make sailing a staple of the South Bronx waterfront. Free sailing takes place on:

Discover the fascinating history of Wave Hill’s architecture and landscape on a walk with a Wave Hill Garden Guide. Hear about the people who once called Wave Hill home, among them Mark Twain, Theodore Roosevelt, Bashford Dean and Arturo Toscanini.

Wave Hill’s Curatorial Fellow leads a tour of current exhibitions in Glyndor Gallery. The group show, Outcasts: Women in the Wilderness, explores how women have been treated and portrayed as outcasts in history, myth and biblical legend. In the Sunroom Project Space, Sonya Blesofsky’s sculptural installation is inspired by the history of Glyndor House, while Sindy Butz's life-sized replicaof a fireplace in one of Wave Hill’s buildings includes enlarged photographs and videos of her performing with Wave Hill fireplaces.

Join Prospect Park Alliance to check on the flax crop we planted in the spring and try out the tools used to make flax into linen cloth. Touch and feel different types of linen, and weave and sew a small linen pouch to take home.

Every Saturday during the Summer, Forest Park Carousel offers free kid-friendly entertainment. The performances are at 2:00 p.m. and 4:00 p.m.

About Forest Park Carousel: Forest Park Carousel is located in Forest Park, Woodhaven, Queens. This gem was hand-carved in 1903 by Master Daniel Muller,and is (since 2013) a NYC Landmark.

About Presto Pete & Incredulous Chris
Presto Pete and Incredulous Chris of Pete and Chris Amusements are New England's only Two-Man Kid's Magic Show! They give an ultra high-energy performance that capture's kid's attention and doesn't let go! They are two brothers who have been performing around the east coast for the past five years making kid's not only laugh, but also giggle and guffaw!

Explore the southwest of Central Park with Central Park Conservancy tour guides, and see it like never before. From a planned military parade ground to the site commemorating a famous activist for peace, one of the most-visited areas of the Park has some secrets to share with even the most seasoned Park-goer!

Highlights of this tour include: Maine Monument, the Children’s District, Sheep Meadow, Tavern on the Green, and Strawberry Fields.

There are a few inclines. The tour starts inside the Park at the Central Park Conservancy kiosk at Merchants Gate (Central Park South/59th Street and Central Park West.) Tour ends at 72nd Street and Central Park West.

"Can photography change how we see our surroundings? What comprises a beautiful photograph? How can photography and history interrelate?

Join Randall's Island Park Alliance's selected 2017 FLOW artist Rose DeSiano to address these questions, and take some photographs of your own! We'll meet at 2:00 p.m. to learn about this year's FLOW art pieces, discuss some of Randall's Island's history, and talk about photographic composition and storytelling.

Bring your camera or camera phone (RIPA will also offer a few instant film cameras to borrow for the event) and spend the afternoon capturing island images that you can take home with you. We hope you'll return throughout the year to continue your photographic journey on Randall's Island.

This event is free and family-friendly. All are welcome!

The FLOW art series is planned in conjunction with the Randall's Island Park Alliance, the Bronx Museum and NYC Parks.

Join King Manor’s Executive Director Nadezhda Williams to learn about the group of pioneering women who came together to save Rufus King’s home from destruction at the turn of the last century! Rufus never imagined his home would be turned into a museum! How did this come about? Rare photographs of the early days of the museum will be shown.

This free program is part of New York’s Path Through History [King Manor Association of Long Island clubwomen in the 1920s] story weekend.

The Union Square Partnership hosts a free walking tour entitled “Union Square: Crossroads of New York,” led by the historians at Big Onion Walking Tours. Join us on Saturdays to explore the social and political history of the Union Square neighborhood and learn about the people and events that shaped this vibrant historical community.

The tour begins at the Abraham Lincoln statue in Union Square Park near 16th Street. Look for the guide holding a "Union Square: Crossroads of New York" sign at the statue.

Reservations are not required for individuals, but are required for groups of 10 or more. To RSVP for a group, please call (212) 517-1826.